The phrase “next man up” is used across the NFL when teams talk about dealing with injuries and the role of back-up players. Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard was called up from the practice squad last to fill a spot left by and injured Kameron Johnson. Shepard caught three passes for 51 yards, including a pair of key grabs for first downs.
The 31-year-old could’ve called it a career after multiple injuries slowed his production during his last three seasons with the New York Giants. But he decided to give it one more shot when the Bucs offered him a one-year contract this offseason.
“All last year, I was being told that it was ‘next man up mentality, next man up mentality.’ It never really got to that point, and I got really frustrated about it,” Shepard explained after practice. “So I felt like that conditioned me for the position I was in coming here. Just trying to stay patient, man. Just trusting in God’s plan. Whenever I got my opportunity, I wanted maximize it.”…